SPORTS

Spain comeback sets up all-Iberian final UEFA European U17 Championship

Spain will play Portugal for the title of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Baku after Abel Ruiz and Brahim Díaz turned the semi-final in Spain's favour with goals in the last quarter of an hour, according to UEFA.

Abel Ruiz and Brahim Díaz scored in the last 16 minutes as Spain recovered from a goal down to reach their sixth UEFA European Under-17 Championship final.

Trailing to a goal by Renat Dadashov a day after his 17th birthday, La Roja took a while to find their rhythm. When Santi Denia's tyros did hit their stride they put their opponents under a period of sustained pressure, Francisco García and Díaz being denied by Jan-Christoph Bartels and Jordi Mboula rattling an upright with a penalty.

They got the reward their second-half dominance warranted, however, equalising when Ruiz turned in substitute Iván Martín's left-wing cross. Diaz settled matters, scoring on the turn after Bartels had denied his strike partner with a point-blank save. Bartels' late red card for bringing down Mboula capped a dramatic turnaround.

For Spain, a place in Saturday's final ultimately lay at the end of the rainbow that appeared overhead before kick-off. The weekend title decider against a seemingly impregnable Portugal team will be the 2007 and 2008 winners' first in this competition since 2010.